Counting every edible shade of red...

So far, so good.


I finally got to a point where I could try this sucker on and I am so relieved that it actually fits. It fits! It must be the small gauge (had to go down to US 4's to get gauge!) but all those countless* sleeve stitches just made me think of overly ginormous sleeves that my poor, little stick-bone arms would be swimming in. Not so. They seem to fit perfectly.

I wish I could let you touch this thing through the internets... the angora is so dreamy I don't ever want to put it away. That could explain why the sweater is getting all the love and the poor Leafy socks are languishing in my drawer. The socks are beautiful though and I hope to finish the first one this week. I know once I get to the cabling on the sweater, progress will slow way down since I can't cable and read Chemistry, Physics or French at the same time. St st goes fine though. I'm getting a ton done this weekend.

(I also think the BRIGHT green is growing on me.)


*Okay, not countless, there were 83 at the end.

Yesterday, my friends Jenna, Andy, Maggie, and I went down to Fargo to shop for yarn and meet up with Fargo knitters. I got some lovely, squishy, awesome Misti Alpaca and some Regia sock yarn at Prairie Yarns but nothing screamed out "Buy me!" at the other shop we went to: Boucle. However, I did learn that I seem to have a new favorite color for yarn and yarny projects...



The Cloud 9 is MUCH brighter in person. I got it at WEBS for only $3.99 a ball (normally about $7.25) and I can only assume it's because no one wanted neon green sweaters. Lucky for me, I like bright green and have a bright green acrylic sweater that I'm hoping to replace. This is slowly becoming an Elizabeth Bennet Cardigan from Fitted Knits.


That picture is a little closer to the right color only it's a little washed out from the flash. It's cloudy here today and it was pretty tough getting good pics. Anyway, I figure if it's too bright green when I finish, I can always overdye it. I'll practice on my swatches.

I'm still knitting the (green) Leafy Lace socks as well, finishing the heel flap yesterday on our trip.

Here is the Regia. I was instantly smitten by the deep, rich colors thinking they might be nice for Kurt or some other man that needs socks (my Dad again? I'm not sure.). However, they also would look gorgeous on my own two feet...


Here is a picture of my friends and the Fargo knitters. We had such a great time with them, I think we'll definitely have to make the drive again! It's only an hour and the new shops are great!

For some reason the pictures of my Kona yarn and the resulting socks look sort of brown. The yarn is actually a very deep and beautiful green.

Pattern: Japanese Feather Socks
Yarn: RIT-dyed Kona Superwash, 0.5 skeins
Needles: US 2 DPNs
Notes: I love this pattern! I could knit it over and over and over again and never get bored, I think. It's simple but looks so damn beautiful. I also love this yarn, it's nice and thick and I only had to cast on 52 stitches to get a sock that fits me so they knit up super quick.

My friend Jenna bought me some Socks That Rock for my birthday.


It's so soft and squishy! I can see why half the knitters in the blogging world are in love with this stuff. I started out with the Embossed Leaves pattern from the book Favorite Socks but didn't get gauge - even after my (flat) gauge swatch told me I would - and also remembered that US 1's don't agree with my wrist. Every time I think it's going to be different. Isn't that the definition of something? Hmm...

So I pulled out my More Sensational Knitted Socks book that I haven't looked at since I bought it and chose the Leafy Lace Socks. First, I swatched... in the round this time.

After determining gauge and adding some negative ease for nice cozy socks, I cast on 50 stitches, did a picot edge and started the pattern.

There's a lot more twisted rib in the pattern than I thought there would be, which also hurts the wrist but since I'm on US2's it seems to be going alright so far.

Whew, that was a long post. The only other thing to say is that I quit with the mittens for Kurt. It's been a lot warmer here lately and they were too big anyway. Maybe next year he'll get some new ones.

Midterms and a birthday celebration have gotten in the way of my posting but I'm on Spring Break and ready to share some pics with you.


Here is my Scoop Neck Vest Sweater! It is fantastic and beautiful and I love every little stitch of it. There were a few issues the night I wore it for my birthday: namely the shoulders kept sliding down and showing a little bra strap. A better blocking will take care of it though, I'm sure.


Here is some Kona Superwash I dyed a couple of weeks ago with RIT dye. I had been hoping to make it a very lightly variegated green but that RIT boy, whew, as soon as I put the yarn in the bath it immediately sucked up all the green and there was no changing it. Then the rinsing... holy shit, people, the amount of rinsing was insane! Not my favorite way to dye, that is for sure. But I like it and think it will make a nice cozy pair of socks.

If you remember last time I used Kona, I ended up getting two full pairs of socks from one skein. So I bought two skeins this time and wound them into four smaller skeins for four pairs of socks (with Jenna's help and ball winder). I'm going to let Kurt dye one of them and I'm going to dye the other two. We might even do Kurt's later today. He's using Kool-aid and going for a bright red. I have no idea what my others will be yet.

I also finished my cabled hat which you can see on my Ravelry page. I don't like it so I'm not even going to bother to post pics here. It ended up too short and I ran out of yarn so I couldn't make ear flaps on it. Boo. I think I'll get some more Wool of the Andes in that colorway and make a better one next winter.

Last night I started some mittens for Kurt since one of his other pairs, the ones he actually never looses, started falling apart. They're just simple mittens in Wool-ease because I'm sure they'll end up getting misplaced pretty quickly. I'd just buy him more but the silly stores seem to have gotten rid of winter gear already. Don't they realize we live in North Dakota??

Hopefully I'll post again before my Spring Break is over next week!

Except for the too shortness of the sleeve, my virtual double chin, and the fuzziness from taking the picture in a dim room, I'd say this is a success so far!


I'm already past the ribbing on the second sleeve (I know you can't see where it ends in the picture... just pretend you can see that the ribbing on the sleeve ends in the same place where it ends on the body) and am hoping to have this baby finished and blocked by my birthday party on the 22nd. I shall be 30 and I'd like to have a hot, freshly knitted sweater to wear to celebrate the occasion. :)

Also, and update on the felted slippers: I immediately sewed the cut out piece back in using the same yarn and didn't even felt it because it's barely noticeable. The right one is my Frankenslipper and it's pretty happy being different. Oh, and keeping my toesies cozy.

I was also given a "You Make My Day" and a "You Make Me Smile" award by Big Geek Beth and thought I'd award them as well. So here are the (knitting) peeps that make my day and make me smile:

Jenna
Beth, of course!
Gena
Cathi, aka Mrs. Pink
Marisa
Cathy
Ellie

Thanks for making my days brighter everyone!

2007 Knits

• Kurt's hand-dyed kool-aid socks
• Japanese Feather Socks (love, love, love them)
• Simple Cable Socks (with the leftover Kona superwash from the Japanese Feather's, also much love.)
• Argyle Socks (UFO banished to the yarn drawer)
• Bearfoot Socks (barely wearable because they've felted so much from being washed on delicate IN A LINGERIE BAG. I am not pleased.)
• Not-so-Puff-Sleeved Feminine Cardigan
• Emily's Striped Socks (Christmas gift)
• Taylor's Striped Socks (Christmas gift, ankle socks with leftovers from Emmie's socks)
• Blue Leftover's Socks (Dudes, only fit for like a month. This kid is growing like a weed. At Christmas he was still shorter than my aunt, today he was at least a full inch taller than her.)
• Mystery Stole (half done, UFO banished to the yarn drawer. Sorry, no Swan love here.)
• Grandma's Christmas Monkey Socks (slippers)
• Wildflower Cardigan (marinating in my yarn bag)
• Harlot's Cable Socks (Christmas present for Matt)
• Simple Manly Socks (almost done, late Christmas present for my Dad)

Shoot. I just cut the first hole out of my slippers to make them all Mary Jane-ish and I don't like it. At first I didn't even think it was cute but now that I see them in pictures I do like the way the Mary Jane one looks and can see that it would look even better with a little contrast outline around the opening and the faux strap but....


Do you see how that sucker pooches out on the sides? I can't believe the draft! I've been wearing these slippers around the house for days and have remarked to anyone who'll listen that they're the warmest slippers I've ever had. Now, the right one is not. It's cold. Boo.

My plan is to sew the opening back in using the same yarn and felt it into place. I don't know if it'll work since the patch will probably just felt and shrink more in the process but I know I can't have the cute Mary Jane slippers I've been dreaming of. I'd rather have toasty warm toes!

In the meantime, I'll continue flying along on my Scoop Neck Vest (which I'd like to put sleeves on but am not sure if I will yet).


That's the front and more than half of the back. This is a quickie knit! I started on Friday night.